MANILA, Philippines (First published 9:42 p.m. on Oct. 24 2017) — The operations of the Philippine military may have driven ISIS-inspired militant groups in the country closer together and facilitated the recruitment of new members, according to an Australian security and military expert. He said that these surviving fighters could regroup and launch another disastrous attack in the future. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1Hapilon and Maute were killed in a pre-dawn battle with the Philippine military on October 16, dealing the militants a serious blow that precipitated their defeat. He also warned that Australia could also be a target of ISIS militants. "If ISIS was to focus on who caused its latest problems in the Philippines, Australia would be well in the frame.

Source: Philippine Star October 25, 2017 02:03 UTC